WISCONSIN RAPIDS – Annika Linzmeier decided to switch things up Saturday at the WIAA state cross-country meet by starting off slower than normal in the Division 1 girls race.

It paid off with a fast finish.

The Pulaski junior placed sixth to earn her first state medal in her third state appearance after passing several runners in the last mile of the race.

“Top 10 was my goal, but I wasn’t going into this feeling very strong on that,” said Linzmeier, who finished 17th last year. “I just didn’t’ have confidence in myself. During the race I started off conservative, which is kind of different for me. But I tried it and it worked. I started picking off girls and it felt pretty good to hear people say, ‘Eighth place, eighth place,’ because I knew I was in podium range then.”

Linzmeier’s time of 18 minutes, 47.19 seconds was the fastest among local girls runners at the meet.

The Fox River Classic Conference champion was one of three girls from her conference to finish in the top 15 in the D1 race.

Bay Port junior Savannah Huben finished 14th to improve by four places from last year, while Ashwaubenon sophomore Sage Wagner came in 11th and one spot shy of a podium finish in her second state appearance.

“That was definitely beyond expectations for me,” said Wagner, who finished 44th last year. “My goal for this was top 20, especially after not having the best races this whole season. I’m really excited that I came out and got 11th.”

In Division 2, Marinette sophomore Kim Carviou (16th) finished in the top 20 along with Luxemburg-Casco’s Faith Vania (15th) and Jacie Legois (seventh).

Team tradition: The Green Bay Preble boys team finished 10th in D1 after coming in last a year ago.

Junior Nick Verheyden paced the Hornets by finishing 30th, while senior Nick Petersen was 66th in his fourth state appearance.

“We have four scorers that are returning next year, so hopefully we’ll continue to do well and come back even stronger,” said Preble coach Kyle McMahon, whose team was making its fourth straight state appearance.

The Oconto Falls boys team finished ninth in D2. It was the Panthers’ fifth state appearance in eight years.

Senior Evan Konitzer came in 29th for Oconto Falls, which has produced at least one state qualifier from its boys or girls team during every year of coach Lon Ludemann’s tenure. This year was extra special for Ludemann with his son, Noah, on the team.

“It’s pretty awesome because coach has been coaching for 19 years and he’s brought somebody to state every time, whether it was individually or as a team,” Konitzer said.

D2 pack: Three local boys runners in D2 took three of the final four spots in the top 50.

Deschler made it to state for the first time after finishing one spot shy at sectionals last season. Liebeck, meanwhile, made it to state in his first year of competing in cross country after previously playing soccer.

Quick hits: Coleman junior Miles Kremsreiter (30th) and sophomore Kasey Casper (37th) both finished in the top 40 of the D3 boys race. Casper became the program’s first state qualifier last year.

The De Pere girls team finished 18th in its first state appearance.

“This is probably the best way I could finish off with our whole team,” De Pere senior Olivia DeCleene said. “I didn’t run as well as I would have liked to, but it’s a great experience coming here and finishing here is awesome.”

Green Bay East senior Maddy Sweeney finished 93rd in the D1 girls in her fourth state appearance.

“It feels really great to say I could come all four years and represent my team,” Sweeney said.